That's where Vaja brings its reputation in usability to bear. The 721 case is a classic flip top case. It opens up via a snap button at the bottom of the case. The button's hard enough to stay closed when in motion but soft enough that you don't need Herculean strength to remove it. The 721 is also custom tailored towards the PEG-N710C and PEG-N760C. Both models are famous for its digital music output so Vaja has taken that into consideration, creating openings in its leather enclosure for access to the reset switch, IR beam, jog dial and even an opening for a travel sync cable to fit in from the bottom. The buttons themselves, like the jog dial, are easily accessible through the openings, although I wouldn't have minded a slightly larger opening, especially for the jog dial.

Vaja has included its special padding into the case. I didn't stress-test the casing but it feels like it can slip off a desk and suffer minimal damage. But what this case provides that others won't is a soft feel in your pocket or in your purse, something that synthetic material cannot provide. Another thing the leather enclosure does well is its protection against screen scratches as well as scratches on the handheld chassis itself. That it does wonderfully and without question. There are some small slits in the casing itself to hold on to extra memory sticks, which is a must for anyone listening to music on the CLIE. Vaja even provides a matching companion pouch for the accompanying MP3 headphones and controller; a nice inexpensive touch.

The only significant problem with the Vaja cases is whether you have large fingers or not. The 721 might be particularly prone to this problem due to the number of gadgets Sony threw into this PDA. With large fingers, you might have a hard time manipulating the controls, which are fairly recessed due to the design of the CLIE. Coincidentally, if you're into accessorizing your CLIE, you won't be able to fit the 721 case in the cradle or in things like keyboards. This makes the case best for those who are on the road and carry the barebones necessities to keep their CLIE running.

The leather quality from Vaja is undeniably well made. There are usually some telltale signs of bad leather construction. The stitching on the unit I received was never off. There was no discoloration or banding and Vaja's website lets you choose from a myriad of colors. The feel of the leather, as I mentioned before, was not harsh. It didn't cut deep gashes into my thigh when I put it in my pocket and felt supple but at the same time durable enough to withstand some harsh day-to-day usage. Finally, the leather didn't exhibit any noxious synthetic or manufacturing scents. It was, from a leather accessory standpoint, extremely well done.

You know you have something good when your product's design is imitated by a number of clones. Simply go look on eBay for Vaja cases and you'll more than likely run into a plethora of knockoffs. My experience with the clones is the same as what happened with the Star Wars trilogy; clones just don't measure up to the real thing, just as stormtrooper clones keep falling to flesh and blood rebels. Vaja is currently in the midst of launching its new line of I-Volution cases for a new generation of handhelds, which hopefully rectify some of the minor accessibility problems of the 721 case. At the same time, I'm eager to see what these experts have in store for the radical PDA designs, like the Sony NR-70 and the ever-increasing expansion options being fitted into PDAs.

Ratings:
[21/25] Performance
[18/25] Ease of Use
[15/20] Flexibility
[12/15] Value
[08/10] Novelty
[03/05] Longevity